Notre Dame beats No. 1 Miami, reshuffling the CFP top rankings

College football fans faced a turbulent Saturday as seven top-25 matchups concluded, setting the stage for major shifts when the selection committee releases its new rankings on Tuesday. The most immediate change for viewers involves the playoff picture, where several powerhouse teams saw their standings altered by decisive wins or unexpected losses.

Notre Dame defeated the No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes in the primetime slot. The Irish started strong but had to withstand a late comeback attempt. Their fourth-quarter defense held firm to secure the victory. This win keeps Notre Dame in the playoff conversation, though analysts suggest their overall schedule prevents them from jumping to the top spot immediately. Miami will drop from the No. 1 position but retains the clearest path to the ACC championship. The Hurricanes might now trail two-loss SEC teams like Alabama and Texas for a top-four seed.

Georgia solidified its case for the No. 1 ranking with a convincing victory at Ole Miss. The Bulldogs' earlier win at Alabama looks even stronger now that Alabama beat LSU on Saturday. Georgia has the best chance to reach the SEC title game, where a rematch with Alabama is likely. Ole Miss, now with three losses, is expected to fall out of the top 12. The Rebels must rely on style points against lower-ranked opponents and help from teams above them to stay in the picture.

Ohio State’s loss to Oregon at home dealt a major blow to its season. The Buckeyes now have three losses after consecutive defensive struggles. They will almost certainly exit the committee's top 12. This defeat removes Ohio State from the primary playoff discussion and reshapes the Big Ten race. It also increases the likelihood that undefeated UCLA will reach the conference championship game.

Alabama and Texas both strengthened their résumés by defeating ranked opponents. Alabama beat LSU, while Texas picked up its fourth win over a top-25 team, adding Missouri to a list that includes Ohio State, Tennessee, and Ole Miss. Both teams could leapfrog No. 4 Indiana, which was idle on Saturday. LSU, with three losses, faces a difficult remaining schedule including Texas, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Tennessee likely entered the top 12 after beating Kentucky, while Utah survived a comeback bid from BYU to secure its first series win since 2019.

UCLA defeated Minnesota for its fourth road win, maintaining its position to host a first-round playoff game. Committee chair Hunter Yurachek noted that Utah remains above UCLA in his evaluation. UCLA's strength of schedule ranks No. 78, among the worst of the contenders. The Bruins face Michigan and USC in their final two regular-season games, with ESPN's FPI giving them less than a 50% chance to beat either team. Missouri's playoff hopes dimmed after its loss to Texas, though it still faces Georgia and Kentucky in the coming weeks.